But it gets worse: plans also include any number of so-called "first dollar" benefits: services and products that are paid for regardless of whether one has met the out-of-pocket limit (thus "free"). These include, for example, mammograms and birth control convenience items, pap smears and the like.

What part of "noncovered services" do you not understand. Of course noncovered services aren't ... covered.

And the rest of this drivel goes on in similar vein.

My friend and colleague David W offered this assessment:

"Start with the idea of "insurance" is to pay for everything. That's not insurance, that's an entitlement or a prepaid health plan[ed: as noted above]. Move on to what that costs, when insurance is already too expensive and going up, and when you move to specifics, note that 5 of the 6 "uncovered" procedures were covered by 80% of the plans, and 6th by 60% of plans. Finally, consider "choice" vs "control" and understand that, at its core, this is a pathetic attempt to force other people to pay for services that they want - they just don't want to pay for them."

But it gets worse: plans also include any number of so-called "first dollar" benefits: services and products that are paid for regardless of whether one has met the out-of-pocket limit (thus "free"). These include, for example, mammograms and birth control convenience items, pap smears and the like.

What part of "noncovered services" do you not understand. Of course noncovered services aren't ... covered.

And the rest of this drivel goes on in similar vein.

My friend and colleague David W offered this assessment:

"Start with the idea of "insurance" is to pay for everything. That's not insurance, that's an entitlement or a prepaid health plan[ed: as noted above]. Move on to what that costs, when insurance is already too expensive and going up, and when you move to specifics, note that 5 of the 6 "uncovered" procedures were covered by 80% of the plans, and 6th by 60% of plans. Finally, consider "choice" vs "control" and understand that, at its core, this is a pathetic attempt to force other people to pay for services that they want - they just don't want to pay for them."